So I swapped my JLT CAI back with the stock one today...

[WildHorse]

Has anybody else reverted back to stock from their tuned CAI’s?

Did the JLT. Hated it. So stupid me decided to go with a bigger 120mm MAF. The next 4 years I tried to get it halfway decent in terms of IAT, drivability, clean MAF at anything other than WOT. Wasn't happening. I even put it head 2 head with my stock 17 airbox. Exact same tune other than the scaling for the 120mm. Stock air box hands down. The little you give up with the stock box at WOT (assuming the aftermarket one isn't sitting a a stupid IAT) just isn't worth it. I was so impressed with the stock 17 box, I bought a 18+ air cleaner assembly. Hell, even next year when I go centri I'm utilizing the stock airbox.

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[WildHorse]

You know whats a beautiful sight ? Idling with the stock airbox in coolish weather and watching the IAT go down down down. Whereas with the other one same scenario going up up up. Never been so happy to lose a few way upstairs under ideal conditions horsepower.

 

[ice445]

I'm leaving my intake stock with the paper filter forever (okay, well obviously not the same filter). It just works.

 

[boB]

Yup, Andrew is right here with these concise points.

The stock intake system from 15-17 is very good, and 18+ slightly better still. As Andrew suggested, the oem setup is a true technical "cold air intake" because of how it takes the air in, despite how it looks, with no aftmkt-style piping look. (Most oem intake systems from any mfr are very very good nowadays, they don't rob performance like they used to - it's not like before, where the technology and understanding limited the ability for engineers to balance sound, resonance, performance, fuel eco., etc., and the result was performance took a back seat.) What does limit the OEM system is what Andrew mentioned, filter type but also filter size/surface area.
The oems obviously want to engineer the system to account for all kinds of conditions and weather, so outright performance, of course, will take some backseat, even today, as it goes without saying.

Afmkt setups on this car are often labelled Cold Air Intakes, but are actually like a semi-warm air intake (CAI vs WAI in the Afmkt world) because it still has the oem snorkel, but the filter element is open.
There is no problem with this sort of setup, provided that you:
- Have a tune, ideally
- Do not sit in a lot of stop-and-go or constant low speed driving (similar to what OP is experiencing) which causes the heat soak and increased IATs, which can happen tune or no tune

The reason the GT350 has an open-style intake that mimics the afmkt cold air setups, is this model was built with the intention of being very track-focused. So, despite the GT350 ECU calibration built around that open-style intake, you still get the heat soak and IAT issues in situations where you don't constantly move.

With the GT500, they added a lid to an otherwise "identical-looking" to GT350 intake setup, probably due to the immense heat the FI 5.2 produces.

(FWIW, I installed the FP 18+ GT calibration kit which includes the open-element box and a mild FP tune, and in my driving conditions, it's a noticeable and useable improvement over stock, expecially in lower temps. If I was stop and go, I would have never installed this kit)

TL;DR:
There is value in aftermarket cold air intakes, but they are not ideal in many conditions, and can actually rob you of performance, compared to the stock intake - of which on the S550s, they are very well designed for an oem intake system.

This brings up a question: will the Ford Power Pack tune work without installing their CAI and is there a possibility it would work even better in most conditions with the stock airbox?

 

[accel]

This brings up a question: will the Ford Power Pack tune work without installing their CAI and is there a possibility it would work even better in most conditions with the stock airbox?

15-17 power pack 1 works with stock intake.

 

[cmxPPL219]

This brings up a question: will the Ford Power Pack tune work without installing their CAI and is there a possibility it would work even better in most conditions with the stock airbox?

Assuming you're asking about the Power Pack 2, which comes with the open element air intake, it's actually a question I thought about as well (not that I have 15-17, but just random thoughts using the stock airbox like you said, with just the PP2 tune it comes with)

However, like accel said, Power Pack 1 is just the calibration and drop-in filter that will work with the factory airbox. So it might be pointless to get a PP2, thinking to use it for just the more aggressive calibration - the calibration with the PP2 will be optimized for the new open element air intake box, so using it without that, it's possible that it won't run right anyway, because the flow rate is different with the oem filter and size, vs the conical filter and more surface area.

 

[AMC401V8]

Stock intake with green filter on my 20 PP1. I'm really glad I never spent money on an intake after talking to different people and reading this forum.

 

[Robert3487]

I also went with JLT and wish i had done more research than I did. Was thinking of trying to cover it myself or just get the steeda.

 

[WildHorse]

heres the stock lid with the charcoal filter removed, and a little smoothing. You can see a positive result in the logs.

 

[boB]

Assuming you're asking about the Power Pack 2, which comes with the open element air intake, it's actually a question I thought about as well (not that I have 15-17, but just random thoughts using the stock airbox like you said, with just the PP2 tune it comes with)

However, like accel said, Power Pack 1 is just the calibration and drop-in filter that will work with the factory airbox. So it might be pointless to get a PP2, thinking to use it for just the more aggressive calibration - the calibration with the PP2 will be optimized for the new open element air intake box, so using it without that, it's possible that it won't run right anyway, because the flow rate is different with the oem filter and size, vs the conical filter and more surface area.

Afaik there is only one version for 2018+: CAI, throttle body, and tune. Some think the CAI was only thrown in to look good since the $$ for only a throttle body and tune would look excessive. My main interest is the big bump at 2000 RPM and I doubt the throttle body adds anything at that low air flow. I suppose the only way to see is to buy one and see how the air/fuel numbers look.

 

[cmxPPL219]

Afaik there is only one version for 2018+: CAI, throttle body, and tune. Some think the CAI was only thrown in to look good since the $$ for only a throttle body and tune would look excessive. My main interest is the big bump at 2000 RPM and I doubt the throttle body adds anything at that low air flow. I suppose the only way to see is to buy one and see how the air/fuel numbers look.

Oh, yes, you're correct on that there is only one version for the 18+. For some reason I thought you were referring to the 15-17 cars. Didn't know where my mind was at lol.

I'm sure you've seen the threads re: people's experience with the 18+ calibration kit (including myself) and I guess that is a good place to start. However, one thing to note is the kit includes the bigger 87mm throttle body (same as on the GT350) which will not mate to the factory airbox neck, which fits the factory 80mm setup.

So the 18+ calibration factors in the throttle body opening size increase, as well as the open element filter, and the whole filter housing and neck are included in the kit also because they are a proper fit to the 87mm TB. Value is an open question for debate, yes. But including the larger TB and open element filter does allow more flexibility with the calibration, as opposed to just selling the calibration itself - at least from Ford's perspective, keeping things relatively mild and safe for the motor, to keep warranty.

 

[WildHorse]

Got my 18+ air box today. That sucker almost as big as the JLT.. 108mm ID. Also didn't have to bug my tuner for a revision. With my DiabloSport Trinity EX Platinum I just added 15% to the MAF, and she's trimming out really nice ! I seriously dunno why more aren't tuning with DiabloSport.

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